Jalen Hurts had to make a decision after the 2018 college football season ended.
The former quarterback from Alabama has had his position usurped by Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts, who wanted to finish his university career as a beginner, had to choose where he was going to be transferred. Early options included Miami and Maryland, where two of Alabama's offensive employees in 2018 had taken on new roles, respectively. Quarterback coach Dan Enos had held the same position in Miami and attacking coordinator Mike Locksley had been appointed head coach of Maryland.
But it was Alabama coach Nick Saban who led Hurts to his final destination in 2019: Oklahoma, whom Tide had beaten 45-34 in the semifinals 2018 college football qualifiers.
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Saban detailed Hurts' decision in an interview Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles:
"And I remember he came to me and said he could go to Miami because the quarterback coach had gone to Miami as the offensive coordinator, the quarterback coach here, Dan Enos, "Saban said in the interview. "Mike Locksley got the job of head coach in Maryland." I could go to Maryland or I could go to Oklahoma. "
"I said" Jalen, where do you have the best players? "Saban said." Because he felt more comfortable going where he knew these guys. "And he said," Well, I think they have the best players in Oklahoma. "I said we had just played against them and that they also had very good players in attack."
While Saban was certainly right in his assessment of the Oklahoma roster, he certainly helped third-year coach Lincoln Riley to already have an excellent quarterback record. His infractions produced consecutive Heisman Trophy winners at Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Like Mayfield, Murray would become the first overall pick of the draft.
"It is not disrespectful to anyone, the boys who have worked here and who have done a great job here, this is the best for you," said Saban. "This is how you should make this decision now. He did it and I think he did a great job for Oklahoma."
Damage certainly continued with this streak of success at Norman in 2019. He appreciated his career highs as a percentage of completion (69.2%, minimum 100 pass attempts), yards per pass (3,851) , adjusted yards by attempted pass (12.2), touchdown passes (32), rushing yards (1298) and touchdowns (20). He finished second in the Heisman Trophy vote behind LSU's Joe Burrow and led the Sooners to a third consecutive playoff spot.
Hurts eventually became a second round pick (# 53 overall) for Philadelphia, where he imagines he will learn from starter Carson Wentz.